Best Movies of the 2010s: The Decade's Greatest Films
The 2010s were a decade of extremes. Streaming services became the dominant force in entertainment, international cinema won the Oscars, and superhero movies dominated the box office like never before. From South Korean class satire to Australian post-apocalyptic fury, the 2010s delivered films that expanded what cinema could be. These are the films that defined the decade.
Drama
The 2010s produced some of the most acclaimed dramas in cinema history, from intimate family stories to epic historical sagas.
Parasite (2019)
Bong Joon-ho's genre-defying masterpiece became the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture. A poor family gradually infiltrates a wealthy household in a class satire that shifts from comedy to thriller to tragedy with breathtaking precision. The basement reveal is one of the decade's great cinematic moments. It is a film about inequality that is as entertaining as it is devastating.
The most talked-about film of the decade, and it earns every bit of praise. A perfect movie. Streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.
Moonlight (2016)
Barry Jenkins's triptych about a Black gay man coming of age in Miami is one of the most empathetic films ever made. Three actors play Chiron at different stages of his life, each capturing his vulnerability and strength. The film is a masterclass in visual storytelling — the water, the moonlight, the silence between words. It won Best Picture in one of the greatest Oscar upsets.
A landmark film for queer cinema and Black cinema. It is a work of profound beauty. Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's portrait of Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook is the defining film of the internet age. Jesse Eisenberg is perfectly cast as Zuckerberg — brilliant, insecure, and ruthless. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's Oscar-winning score is the sound of ones and zeroes. The depositions frame a story about friendship, ambition, and betrayal.
The film that understood social media before the rest of us did. It gets more accurate every year. Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
George Miller returned after 30 years and made the greatest action film of the decade — arguably the greatest ever. A two-hour chase sequence through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with Charlize Theron's Furiosa as the true protagonist. The practical stunts, the flame-throwing guitar, the War Rig — every frame is a work of insane, beautiful genius.
The purest expression of cinematic momentum ever captured. It is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.
Marriage Story (2019)
Noah Baumbach's raw, funny, heartbreaking portrait of a divorce features career-best performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. The fight scene is one of the most brutally honest depictions of marital conflict ever filmed. Laura Dern won an Oscar for her scene-stealing lawyer. It is a film that understands that love and pain can coexist.
The definitive film about divorce. It will break your heart and make you laugh in the same scene. Streaming on Netflix.
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Steve McQueen's unflinching adaptation of Solomon Northup's memoir is essential American cinema. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a monumental performance as a free Black man kidnapped into slavery. The film does not look away from the brutality of the institution, but it also captures the resilience and humanity of those who endured it. Michael Fassbender's slave owner is horrifying.
The most important American film about slavery since Roots. It is devastating and essential. Streaming on Prime Video and Hulu.
Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig's solo directorial debut is a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story set in Sacramento in 2002. Saoirse Ronan is perfect as Lady Bird, a fiercely independent teenager butting heads with her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The film captures the specific ache of wanting to leave home, and the realization that home was never the problem.
The most authentic coming-of-age film since The Breakfast Club. Gerwig understands teenage girls. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
Action
From the streets of New York to the far reaches of the galaxy, 2010s action films pushed boundaries and redefined spectacle.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The Russo brothers delivered the most ambitious crossover event in cinema history, concluding 22 films over 11 years. The time heist, the portal scene (with Cap saying "Avengers, assemble"), the final battle — it is a monumental achievement in franchise filmmaking. It became the highest-grossing film of all time, and it earned every dollar.
The most epic conclusion to any film series ever. It is a cultural landmark. Streaming on Disney+.
Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)
The best action film of the decade. Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise delivered a staggering work of practical action — the HALO jump, the Paris chase, the helicopter fight. Cruise broke his ankle jumping between buildings, and the footage stayed in the film. It is a reminder that practical stunts performed by actual humans will always beat CGI.
Tom Cruise risked his life repeatedly to make this. It is the pinnacle of practical action filmmaking. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
John Wick (2014)
Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves reinvented action cinema with this minimalist revenge thriller about a retired hitman who returns after a gang kills his dog (a gift from his late wife). The "gun-fu" choreography — a blend of judo, jiu-jitsu, and tactical shooting — set a new standard. The club scene with "Kill Everybody" playing is pure action poetry.
The most influential action film of the decade. It proved that original action franchises could still exist. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
Dunkirk (2017)
Christopher Nolan's war film is a sensory experience told through three intercutting timelines — the mole (one week), the sea (one day), the air (one hour). The tension is unbearable, the sound design is a character, and the film's climax — civilian boats arriving to save soldiers — is profoundly moving. It is a war film without politics, purely about survival.
The most immersive war film ever made. Nolan makes you feel the desperation of the evacuation. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
Black Panther (2018)
Ryan Coogler's Marvel masterpiece is the rare superhero film that feels genuinely important. Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, and a predominantly Black cast deliver a story about responsibility, isolationism, and the legacy of colonialism. Wakanda is one of the most fully realized worlds in comic-book cinema. "Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors."
A cultural watershed. It proved that diverse stories can be blockbusters. Streaming on Disney+.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
The best Spider-Man movie and the most visually innovative animated film of the decade. Miles Morales steps into the role of Spider-Man across a multiverse of spider-people. The animation style — blending comic-book textures, 2D and 3D, Ben-Day dots, and onomatopoeia — is revolutionary. It is funny, thrilling, and surprisingly emotional.
The most visually inventive film of the decade. It looks like a comic book come to life. Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
Horror
The 2010s were a golden age for horror — a renaissance of elevated genre films that were as acclaimed by critics as they were beloved by audiences.
Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele's directorial debut is a razor-sharp satire of liberal racism disguised as a horror-thriller. Daniel Kaluuya plays Chris, a Black photographer visiting his white girlfriend's family estate, where something is deeply wrong. The Sunken Place is one of the decade's most potent metaphors. "Get out!" has never been so cathartic.
The horror film that won the culture war. It is funny, scary, and brilliantly subversive. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
Hereditary (2018)
Ari Aster's debut is a family tragedy that spirals into supernatural horror. Toni Collette gives one of the greatest horror performances ever as a mother unraveling after her mother's death. The car scene, the attic reveal, the final shot — the film builds dread like a pressure cooker. It is the closest any film has come to pure, unfiltered grief as horror.
The most terrifying film of the decade. It stays with you for days. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
A Quiet Place (2018)
John Krasinski's post-apocalyptic thriller about a family that must live in silence to avoid blind monsters is a masterclass in tension. The bathtub birth scene, the nail on the stairs, the "I love you" finale — it uses silence as a weapon. Millicent Simmonds, who is deaf in real life, brings authenticity to a story about communication and family.
The most tense theatrical experience of the decade. You could hear a pin drop in the theater. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
The Witch (2015)
Robert Eggers's debut is a period horror film set in 1630s New England, where a Puritan family slowly disintegrates after their infant son disappears. The film uses authentic language, natural light, and folk horror dread to create something genuinely unnerving. Anya Taylor-Joy became a star overnight. "Wouldst thou like the taste of butter?"
The most atmospheric horror film of the decade. It feels like you are watching a cursed artifact. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.
Us (2019)
Jordan Peele's sophomore film is an ambitious home-invasion thriller about a family attacked by their own doppelgängers. Lupita Nyong'o delivers a dual performance for the ages — warm Adelaide and terrifying Red. The film is a layered allegory about class, privilege, and the shadow self. The "Hands Across America" connection is genius.
The most ambitious horror film of the decade. It rewards multiple viewings. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
The Babadook (2014)
Jennifer Kent's Australian horror debut is a story about grief, motherhood, and mental illness disguised as a monster movie. A widowed mother and her troubled son are haunted by a pop-up book creature. The Babadook is a metaphor for the darkness we carry, and the film's refusal to provide easy answers makes it linger. "You can't get rid of the Babadook."
The defining film of the "elevated horror" movement. It is scary and genuinely moving. Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
It Follows (2014)
David Robert Mitchell's indie horror gem has a simple premise: a sexually transmitted curse causes a shapeshifting entity to follow you at walking speed until it kills you. The genius is in the atmosphere — the timeless Detroit setting, Disasterpeace's synth score, the long takes of empty streets. It is one of the most original horror concepts in decades.
The most creative horror concept of the 2010s. It is a masterclass in suspense and dread. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
Sci-Fi
The 2010s produced some of the most ambitious sci-fi in cinema history, from interstellar epics to intimate AI love stories.
Interstellar (2014)
Christopher Nolan's space epic is a film about love, time, and the survival of humanity. Matthew McConaughey leads a mission through a wormhole to find a new home for mankind. The black hole sequence (Gargantua) was so scientifically accurate it produced research papers. "Murph!" is the most heartbreaking single word of dialogue in the decade.
The most emotionally ambitious sci-fi film ever made. It makes you cry about theoretical physics. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
Arrival (2016)
Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi drama about a linguist (Amy Adams) who must communicate with alien visitors is the smartest alien-invasion film ever made. The heptapods' circular written language bends the film's perception of time. The twist — that her visions are not flashbacks but flash-forwards — recontextualizes the entire story. "Language is the first weapon drawn in a conflict."
The most intelligent sci-fi film of the decade. It is about communication, not destruction. Streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Denis Villeneuve pulled off the impossible — a sequel to Blade Runner that honors the original while standing on its own. Ryan Gosling plays K, a replicant blade runner who uncovers a secret that could destabilize society. Roger Deakins finally won his Oscar for cinematography that is simply breathtaking. The Joi hologram relationship is heartbreaking.
A masterpiece of visual storytelling. It is a rare sequel that expands and deepens the original. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.
Ex Machina (2014)
Alex Garland's directorial debut is a tense, claustrophobic three-hander about a programmer invited to administer a Turing test to a humanoid AI. Alicia Vikander's Ava is both victim and predator, and the film asks uncomfortable questions about consciousness, gender, and the ethics of creation. The final shot of Ava in the real world is chilling.
The most thoughtful AI film since 2001. It is a chamber piece that builds unbearable tension. Streaming on Prime Video and Hulu.
Her (2013)
Spike Jonze's near-future romance about a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with his AI operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) is the most tender and heartbreaking film about technology ever made. It is not a cautionary tale — it is a genuine love story that asks whether love is real if the other entity is not human. The OS sex scene is surprisingly moving.
The most surprising romance of the decade. It is funny, sad, and deeply human. Streaming on Prime Video and HBO Max.
Dune (2021)
Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic is a monumental achievement in world-building. Timothée Chalamet leads a stellar cast through the desert planet of Arrakis, where spice, worms, and political intrigue collide. The sandworm ride is one of the decade's great cinematic moments. It is immersive, intelligent, and visually staggering.
The definitive Dune adaptation. Villeneuve made Herbert's unfilmable novel into a blockbuster. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.
Animation
The 2010s pushed animation into bold new territory — both technically and emotionally.
Coco (2017)
Pixar's Mexican-set Day of the Dead adventure is their most culturally specific and emotionally devastating film. A young boy travels to the Land of the Dead to discover his family's musical history. The "Remember Me" twist is one of Pixar's greatest reveals, and the final scene between Miguel and Mama Coco will make anyone cry. It celebrates memory, family, and art.
The most beautiful Pixar film about death. It is a celebration of life and music. Streaming on Disney+.
Inside Out (2015)
Pete Docter's masterpiece about the emotions inside an 11-year-old girl's head is Pixar's most psychologically sophisticated film. Amy Poehler's Joy, Phyllis Smith's Sadness, and the rest of the ensemble learn that sadness is not something to be suppressed — it is essential to happiness. The abstract thought sequence, the imaginary boyfriend, and Bing Bong's sacrifice are genius.
The film that teaches children (and adults) that it is okay to be sad. Essential viewing. Streaming on Disney+.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
The Toy Story trilogy concluded (at the time) with an emotional gut-punch about growing up and letting go. Andy is off to college, and the toys face incineration. The landfill scene is one of Pixar's most tense sequences, and the final handoff to Bonnie is devastating. "So long, partner." It is a perfect ending to a perfect trilogy.
The most emotionally devastating Pixar film. It made a generation cry in the theater. Streaming on Disney+.
Zootopia (2016)
Disney Animation's buddy-cop comedy about a bunny police officer and a fox con artist is a sophisticated allegory about prejudice and systemic bias. The DMV sloth scene is one of the decade's funniest sequences, but the film's exploration of how bias operates — both individually and institutionally — is surprisingly profound for a kids' movie.
The smartest animated film about prejudice ever made. It is hilarious and genuinely important. Streaming on Disney+.
Moana (2016)
Disney's Polynesian-inspired adventure features one of the studio's best heroines — a chief's daughter who sails across the ocean to save her people. Dwayne Johnson's Maui is hilarious, Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs ("How Far I'll Go," "You're Welcome") are instant classics, and the animation of water is the best ever done. Moana is a leader, not a princess waiting to be saved.
The best Disney heroine of the decade. Moana is brave, stubborn, and independent. Streaming on Disney+.
International Cinema
The 2010s proved that great cinema knows no borders. From South Korea to Mexico to Iran, some of the decade's best films came from outside Hollywood.
Roma (2018)
Alfonso Cuarón's semi-autobiographical black-and-white portrait of a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City is a masterwork of cinematic empathy. Yalitza Aparicio is extraordinary as Cleo. The beach scene, the hospital birth, the student massacre — Cuarón weaves personal and political with breathtaking Camerawork. It won Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film.
The most personal film of the decade. Cuarón shot it himself, and every frame is a photograph. Streaming on Netflix.
A Separation (2011)
Asghar Farhadi's Iranian legal drama is a masterclass in moral complexity. A couple's separation spirals into a web of lies, class divides, and religious obligations. The film has no villains — every character believes they are doing the right thing. The final scene, shot through a window, is devastating in its ambiguity. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
The most morally sophisticated film of the decade. Every character is right and wrong simultaneously. Streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.
The Handmaiden (2016)
Park Chan-wook's erotic psychological thriller is a twist-laden masterpiece set in 1930s Korea under Japanese occupation. A pickpocket is hired as a maid for a Japanese heiress, but nothing is as it seems. The film is a three-act puzzle box that shifts perspectives and loyalties. The erotism, the politics, and the revenge plot are braided into something extraordinary.
The most entertaining international film of the decade. It is a wild, gorgeous ride. Streaming on Prime Video and Hulu.
Shoplifters (2018)
Hirokazu Kore-eda's Palme d'Or winner is a tender, devastating portrait of a poor Tokyo family who survives on shoplifting and petty crime. When they take in an abused girl, the fragile bonds of their unconventional family are tested. The film asks: what makes a family? Blood or love? The beach scene and the final shot will stay with you forever.
The most humane film of the decade. It will break your heart and restore your faith in people. Streaming on Prime Video and Hulu.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Wes Anderson's ornate, hilarious, surprisingly moving tale of a legendary concierge and his lobby boy in a fictional European hotel between the wars. Ralph Fiennes delivers a career-best comic performance as M. Gustave. The film is a meditation on the death of elegance and the rise of fascism — disguised as a caper comedy with exquisite miniatures.
Wes Anderson at his peak. It is funny, beautiful, and unexpectedly profound. Streaming on Disney+ and Prime Video.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of the 2010s?
Parasite (2019) is the most acclaimed film of the decade — winning the Palme d'Or and Best Picture simultaneously. But Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) is the decade's most influential action film, Moonlight (2016) is a landmark for queer and Black cinema, and The Social Network (2010) defined the internet age. The 2010s were so rich that "best" is almost impossible to declare.
What 2010s movies are streaming now?
Parasite is on Hulu. Mad Max: Fury Road is on HBO Max. Get Out is on Peacock. Moonlight is on Netflix. The Social Network is on Netflix. Dune is on HBO Max. Roma is on Netflix. Check individual streaming guides for the most current availability.
How did streaming change 2010s movies?
Streaming services became major players in original film production. Netflix released Roma, Marriage Story, and The Irishman — all critically acclaimed. Amazon Studios produced Manchester by the Sea, which won two Oscars. This created more opportunities for filmmakers but also accelerated the decline of mid-budget theatrical releases. The 2010s were when "Netflix movies" became legitimate contenders at the Oscars.
What is the most underrated 2010s movie?
The Nice Guys (2016) — Shane Black's buddy-comedy-noir with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling — was a box-office disappointment that deserves cult status. Under the Silver Lake (2018) is a paranoid LA conspiracy thriller that is finding its audience. And Paddington 2 (2017) is unironically one of the best-reviewed films of the decade — a perfect family movie.
How did international cinema break through in the 2010s?
Parasite winning Best Picture was the culmination of a decade-long trend. Roma (Netflix), A Separation, Shoplifters, and The Handmaiden all proved that subtitled films could find massive audiences. Streaming services made international cinema more accessible than ever, and audiences responded. The 2010s were when "foreign film" became just "film."
Travel back to the 90s
Miss the decade that started it all? Check out our guide to the best 90s movies that still hold up today.